Indicator for gasolene-tanks.



P. DODOKN.

msoum TANKS.

NDlGATGR FOR D APR. e, 19515.

APPLICATION Y1 .......i-u-E.:

Paented Nw. o0

faim

opening referred to,

burra STATES PT PAUL DODOKIN, 0F LANGBANK, SASKATCHEWAN, CANADA, ASSIG-NOR 0F ONE-HALF TO l DANE M. SMITH, OFLANGBANK, SASKATCHEWAN, CANADA.

1"N'LDICA'JJOR FOR GASOLENF-TANKS.

Application iiled April 6, 1915. 'Serial No. 19,51

To all Inkom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, PAUL DODOKIN, a s Ubject of the King of Great Britain, residing at Langbank, in the Province of Saskatchewan and Dominion of Canada, have invented new and useful Improvements in Indicators for Gasolene-Tanks, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to indicators for gasolene tanks, and the like, the object in view being to provide a fuel indicator always in plain .view of the operator of an automobile, motor truck or .the like, whereby the quantity of gasolene remaining in the supply tank may be instantly observed.

One of the principal objects of the present invention is to provide indicating apparatus for the purpose specified which will admit of adjustment to adapt the several parts of the apparatus to tanks of different depths and capacities and to the automobile upon which the apparatus is mounted, thereby providing for a more accurate gaging of the quantity of gasolene in the supply tank or reservoir.

With ythe above and other objects in View, the invention consists in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts, as herein described, illustrated and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings g-Figure lis a vertical section through the gasolene tank of an Hoor and dash of the, machine and thc appli-V cation of the present invention thereto. Fig. 2 is a face view of the indicator partly broken away. Fig. 3 is a cross section through the same, taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a detail perspective View of the runner and the rack bar. Fig. 5 is a detail View of the float lever and its support.

Referring to the drawings 1 designates a gasolene tank which is usually arranged under the seat of an automobile, 2 designates the floor of the machine and 3 the dash.

ln carrying out the present invention a preferably circular opening is formed in the top of the tank and a flanged seat ring 4 is inserted therein and preferably fastened thereto permanently.

5 designates a flanged cap for closing the the main body of said cap being received in the seating ring and being held in place in relation thereto by Specification of Letters Patent.

yother liquid in the tank 1.

automobile, showing also the' measurements.

Patented Nov. 30, 1.915.

suitable fasteners 6 shown in the form of screws provided with nuts preferably of the thumb or winged type so as to permit the cap to be readily removed together with the parts carried thereby.

`he cap is provided on its under side with a diametrically extending rib 7 having longitudinal, series of holes 8 to receive the pivots 9 and 10 of a extending suspensionarrns 11 and 12 which are in turn provided with longitudinal series of holes 13 and 14 to receive a connecting pin or bolt 16 the purpose of ,which will presently appear. Pivotally connected by a removable pin or bolt 17 to the lower eX- tremity of one of said arms is a float lever 18 having a longitudinal series of holes 19 through any one of which the bolt or pin 1.7 may pass to give the necessary throw to the arm for operating the indicator in accordance with the .level of the gasolene or At the extremity of the longer arm of the lever 18 is a' float -2() `which moves upwardly and downwardly 1n accordance with the level of gasolene in the tank. It will now be understood that the adjustment of the float lever supporting arms in relation to each other and to the rib of the under side of the cap enables the float and its lever to be adjusted in accordance .with the depth or capacity of the tank in connection with which the indicating apparatus is employed.

n the upper side of the cap there is a small housing 21 in which is journaled a groovedguide roller 22 for a exible 0perative connection 23 shown in the form'of a wire or small coupling one end of which is attached to the shorter arm of the float lever, said iieXible connection vpassing from said lever upwardly through an opening 24 in the cap and out through a tubular guide 25 extending oil from said roller housing.

The indicator designated generally at A comprises a substantially semi-circular casing 26 provided at the front thereof with a dial 27 having an arcuate series of gradua tions which may be numbered consecutively to represent gallons Ior inches or any other Arranged to sweep over the dial 27 is an indicating pointer 28 the shaft 29 of which extends through the dial and is journaled' in bearings in the casing as shown and providedwith pair of downwardly l it 1 tached to the adjacent end of a "'stem37 which extends into and through a y 38 in the adjacent endI of' "the runner 32. ".usting screw 1s provided with a squared end or a mechanical equivalent thereof to the teeth of which are described on an are' of which the shaft 29 is the center. Me'shing with and actuating said gear 30 is a rack bar 31. This rack bar is connected at one end t'o and preferably formed integrally with a runner 32 preferably in the form of a hollow cylinder, the same heilig i movable longitudinally within a tubular guide 33 of corresponding shape in cross section, said guide being attached to and forminga part of the casing of' the indicator. The guide 33 is open at one end to receive the runner 32 and the other end thereof is closed with the exception of a small opening or'nipple 34: to receive the flexible connecting member 23 above referred to. Between the indicator lcasing and the tank or reservoir 1,1the flexible connection S23 preferably passes through a guide tube 35.

lnterlposed between the runner and the .closed end'o the tubular guide 33 is a helical expansion spring 36 the tension of winch Tis .exerted to produce a pull on the flexible Said connection threaded connection 23.

threaded opening At its outer end, the adnable said stem to be turned by means of a key or1 the like for the purpose of advancing *or retracting the runner and its rack bar 31 'n order to set the indicating pointer 28 at zero when the'tankis empty. rlhis further adaptsthe Adevice to tanks of: varying depths and capacity.

tachable section The indicator casing also comprises a de# 39 ofrming a cover for the dial, the saine being provided with a glass panel through which the dial and indicating pointer may be observed. The lower por tion of the casing section 39 is so constructe as tofit over and inclose the tubular guide 33 and is formed at one end with a notch to receive the nipple 34 and closed at its opposite end to form ,a stop Wall to limit .the movement of the runner 32 and the rack bar 31 as said runner is pressed in that direction in presence of two witnesses.

incasso by the expansion of the helical spring above' referred to.

From the foregoing descrlption taken 1n connection with the accompanying drawings,

lit will now be understood that as the level of the gasolcne falls in the tank 1, the shorter arm of the float lever rises and permits the runner actuating spring to expand, thereby moving the rack bar tract theindicating pointer until it reaches zero when thesupply of gasolene in the tank is consumed. In this way the operator at a glance may ascertain when he is about to run out otl gasolene and act accordingly.

1.` The combination of a tank, a float therein, an indicator casing comprising a dial, a pivoted pointer working -in conjunction with said dial, a. toothed gear onsaid pointer the teeth of which'are in an arc o which the pivot of said Ipointer is the center, a runner guided in and by said casing, a rack bar carried by' said runnerand engaging said gear, an adjusting stem threaded in said runner, an operating connection between said stem and float, and a spring for 'nessing said runner in opposition to the force applied thereto by said'operating connection. A

2. The' combination of a tank, a' float therein, an indicator casing comprising a dial, a pivoted pointer working in conjunction withsaid dial, a toothed gear on said pointer the teeth of which are in an arc of which the pivot of' said pointer is the center, a runner guided in and by said casing, a spring resisting the movement of said runner in one direction, a rack bar carried by said runner and engaging said gar, an adjusting stem threaded in said runner, an operating connection between said stem an float, and means for turning said stem to ad- Vance or retract said runner and rack bar.

1n testimony whereof I afiX my signature PAUL noDoKiN.

Witnesses:

M.' J. DERMODL i O. W. .Dacia 31 in a direction to re-A deo 

